Shifter for belts, &amp; c.



No. 660,454.' Patented 001:. 23, |900. G. W. PEIRCE.

SHIFTER FORl BELTS, &c.

(Applicatiog led Apr. 12, 1990.)

(No Modem Ag T . 6x Ta-z/eg/v. wiiness es. George W ezn" o 6.

WM @f-@ UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

GEORGE W. PEIROE, OF ABINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO O. D. GILMAN, OF WEYMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS.

SHIFTER FOR.' BELTS, &C.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 660,454, dated October 23, 1900.

Application filed April 12, 1900. Serial No. 12,525. (No modeL T @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. PETRCE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Abington, county of Plymouth, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Shifters for Belts, tbc., of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to a shifter for belts, clutches, dac.; and the object of theinvention is to provide an effective appliance of this character, including a shifter proper and means to operate the same with rapidity, so that a belt can be shifted from one pulley to another, or a movable clutch member can be moved away from its companion, thereby to automatically govern an apparatus actuated from a shaft provided with such pulleys or clutch.

The invention includes as one of its features a shifter, means to move the same positively forward, a device to hold the shifter in its retracted position, and a closed circuit having a magnet, the armature of which coacts with said device, and the magnet normally attracts its armature to hold said devicev in its effective position. By breaking the circuit the holding device is released, thereby freeing the belt or clutch shifter, so that it can be shot forward with rapidity by the means that advance the same. The device which holds the belt-shifter back consists, preferably, of a toggle, the centers of which are normally in line and are maintained in this position by an electromagnet, the armature of which may be connected with one of the toggle members, and to advance the beltshifter I usually employ a spring or springs normally held under considerable compression.

The invention is shown in one simple ernbodiment thereof in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure l is a side view of a belt or clutch shifter involving myimprovements and showing the shifter proper in 'its retracted position. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing said shifter in its forward position, and Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the circuit and a pushbutton having means to make and break said circuit.

Referring to the drawings, the belt-shifter is designated in a general way by A, and itis represented as consisting of parallel rods or bars, as 5 and 6, transversely united by crosspieces, as 7, 8, and 9, the belt being received between the cross-pieces 7 and 8, which serve to movev said belt sidewise as the shifter is moved back and forth.

The construction of the shifter illustrated is especially adapted for moving belts. For aclutchsuch construction would be somewhat modified. The rods 5 and 6 extend through alined openings formed near the tops of bearings, as and 12, upon the plate 13. (Shown in Figs. 1 and 2 as secured to a framing 14.)

AWhen the shifter is in its extreme backward position, as indicated in Fi g. 1, the crosspiece 8 will abut against the upright 10. As soon, however, as the same is released it will be shot forward by the action of a spring or springs until the cross-piece 9 strikes the upright 12, which limits its further movement.

In the present case the shifter A is moved forward by coiled springs, as 13 and 14, respectively, surrounding the rods 5 and 6 and bearing against the cross-piece 15, uniting said rods, and also against the upright or bar 12. When the cross-piece S isin contact with the bearing 10, as indicated in Figs. l and 3, the two springs will be under material compression, so that when the shifter is released said springs can move the same forward at an accelerated speed.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings the shifter is held back bya toggle, and I preferto connect with one of the members of the-toggle the armature of a magnet and to locate said magnet in a closed circuit, so that normally the armature will be attracted to hold the toggle centers approximately in line.

The toggle members are denoted by and 21, they being pivoted together, as at 22. The toggle member 2l consists of parallel links pivoted, as as 23, to an offset or projection, as 24, upon the forward side of the cross-piece 15, near its middle. The toggle member 20, which is very much longer than its companion, is pivoted at its rear end, as

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at 25, in a notch in the projection 26 upon the inside of the bearing 12. The armature 25 of an electromagnet 26 is connected with the long toggle-link 20. The magnet 26 is mounted upon the plate 13', the posts 27 and 28 being connected therewith. The post 27 is connected by the wire 29 with a battery, as 30, while the battery in turn is connected by the wire 31 with the terminal 32 upon the base 33 of a push-button, the cooperating terminal 34 being connected by a wire 35 with the post 23. The two terminals 32 and 34E of the push-button are at all times in contact, so as to maintain a closed circuitin order that the magnet 26 can be energized to attract its armature 25, as shown in Fig. 1, at which time it will be seen that the centers 22, 24, and 25 are substantiallyin line. As the centers are thus arranged the magnet need not be a very strong one, by reason of which I am enabled to maintain in operation for a long period of time a large number of the appliances with a comparatively small battery force.

The cap of the push-button 40 receives centrally thereof the usual `button 1a, bearing against the inner end of the spring contact or terminal 3l. The terminal 34 is held by its spring action normally against the terminal 32, so as to maintain the circuit in which the magnet 36 is located normally closed. By pressi ng the button 41 inward the contactpiece 34 will be forced away from its coinpanion 32 to break the circuit and release the toggle, and consequently the shifter. As soon as this occurs the springs 13 and 14 will thrust the shifter rapidly to the left, and as the shifter moves the toggle centers are thrown out of line and the toggle is brought to the position indicated in Fig. 2 or until the crosspiece 9 strikes the rear bearing 12.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. In an apparatus of the class described, a shifter, means to move the same positively forward, a device to hold the shifter in its retracted position, and a closed circuit having a magnet, the armature of which coacts with said device, and the magnet normally attracting its armature to maintain said device in its effective position.

2. In an apparatus of the classvdescribed, a shifter, means to move the same positively forward, a toggle to hold the shifterin its retracted position, and a closed circuit having a magnet,- the armature of which coacts with one of the toggle members, and the magnet normally attracting its armature to maintain the toggle in its effective position to hold the shifter back;

3. In an apparatus of the class described, a spring-advanced shifter, a device to hold the shifter in its retracted position, and a closed circuit having a magnet, the armature of which coacts with said device, and the magnet normally attracting its armature to maintain said device in its effective position.

4C. In an apparatus of the class described,a plurality of parallel rods, cross-pieces uniting the same, springs fitted around said rods and bearing against one of the cross-pieces and aga-inst a bea-ring for the rods, a device connected with said rods to hold the same in a backward position with the springs under compression, and a closed circuit having a magnet, the armature of which coacts with said device, and the magnet normally attracting its armature to maintain said device in its effective position.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, a shifter, means to move the saine positively forward, a toggle connected with the shifter, and means cooperating with the toggle to hold the same with the centers thereof approximately in line.

G. In an apparatus of the class described, a shifter, means to move the same positively forward, a toggle connected with the shifter, means cooperating with the toggle to hold the same with the centers thereof approximately in line, and means to effect the release of said toggle.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification yin the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' GEORGE W. PEIRCE.

Witnesses:

HEATH SUTHERLAND, LOUISE RoTHsTEIN. 

